May the 5th
by Louann1
Summary: You'd think that being a journalist would be a pretty simple job but its not quite that. Syaoran winds up in Tomoeda aka 'Perfectville' however things aren't as they seem when there's mystery around.
1. Falling Cherryblossoms

This is my new fic! I was worried that I wasn't getting any more reviews for my other fics so I decided to make a new one. I might continue this, it depends on how many people like it. It's a bit different than my others so I hope you enjoy it! 

-x-

May the 5th

By Louann1

Chapter 1: Falling Cherry Blossoms

From all across the world people have gathered to this place of reckoning. A new mystery had been discovered. This new mystery though, is said to be caused by a past victim. Through all my years of experience in the journalistic field nothing can even compare to the horrors I've seen and heard here in Tomoeda. A murder of not one but 4 people has happened. I am determined to get to the bottom of this. As far as I'm concerned these people, these victims are innocent but their murderer certainly is not. There is less than 24 hours before the next victim's life would be taken. But to understand what I am talking about I'll start from the beginning...

It began 4 days ago, May the 1st, I had arrived in Tokyo, under the impression that a small town nadeshiko festival was to bring superstars. Apparently, the term 'nadeshiko festival' was used loosely and that it had grown more than a simple fund raising festival. This was a tip-off that I'm a bit skeptical of receiving. As I left the airport nothing seemed strange or peculiar until I found a dying person under the name of Samantha M. Kytori in the corner of the airport. I took her pulse but with every minute that passed it slowed and slowed gradually slowing to a stop. Her lifeless body was limp and pale. There were no signs of a homicide, she looked like she was suffocating but she looked healthy enough. Her blue eyes stared at me even after her death, I pitied her that her life was so short lived, she looked no older than me. I closed her eyelids and sighed. My story hadn't been the one I'd expected, but at least I had one. (What does this mean)

I made my way to the small town of Tomoeda. It was where the festival was to take place and so I felt that if I was close, then possibly I might actually get some work done. Not that I haven't before. My job takes time and skill, a trait that not many people have. I have to socialize with people up to the extent of friendly conversation, anything more and my ass would get a burning. I love my job, don't get me wrong, it's hard but not as hard as living to the expectations of my mother. But that's another story

The journey there was far from pleasing. The taxi smelt sickly and the driver was good at neither driving nor conversation. The town was spotless, white walls, perfectly trimmed hedges and clear blue skies. It was too perfect to be true, which was when I began to get suspicious. The death of Ms Kytori was still on my mind. The police that collected her seemed to brush it off but somehow I felt that there was more to it than that. I handed the driver a bill and he drove off. Getting change wasn't high on my priority list at that particular moment.

I needed somewhere to stay. I was told that there weren't any hotels in the area by my college but then again he always did tell lies. I was meant to come here fifteen years ago. A mission my mother found most interesting, but I never did.

With my suitcase I went around the fairly friendly town looking for accommodation. I had to admit it was much more... Perfect, than I imagined. I had been told that it was the Stepford of Japan but I realised that that statement was true. The grass was velvety, the trees were all the same, none had green leaves but all seemed to be almost suffocated by the masses of cherry blossom. At that time of year it was the changing of seasons, and so the petals were beginning to fall.

I looked up at the tree to my left. It seemed to have more flowers than the others. I continued to peer up at this particular tree. I'll admit it wasn't something that I usually do. I guess it must have looked a bit weird to those that passed me, but to be quite honest I didn't care. Something about that tree was intriguing, captivating, it was different, that's for sure. But why? My legs began to ache but I felt compelled to continue watching... And now I am glad that I did... Sort of.

A clump of petals fell from the tree and all I could see was a young woman. She was unusual, and unique. I couldn't tell her age because of the distance between us but I was sure she couldn't be much older than me. She was sitting on a branch and seemed to be admiring her surroundings. Either that or she was bored. I'm not much of a ladies man, on the contrary, I'm quite the opposite. I somehow managed to get my cousin to break off our engagement. Don't get me wrong, I love her and all, but not in that way.

The young woman swung her legs forwards and backwards. She had short auburn hair that reached her shoulders and seemed to dance in the breeze. Her eyes were the most deepest green I had ever seen. Her complexion was pale and complemented her eyes. I walked closer... I had to know who she was. Her lips were so... Whatever! She saw me and jumped down. If you ask me, it was a pretty good jump. She was pretty high up; she must have done gymnastics or something like that. One minute she was up in the tree, the next she was right next to me. It was odd but when she jumped I almost got the sense that she had flown down, descending on me like an angel from heaven. Who am I kidding? She jumped!

" Hi..." The girl smiled and showed a perfect set of teeth, bright and pearly. It was magical. She spoke calmly even though she didn't even know me. Things were kind of awkward, after all I had been staring at her for quite some time. " Are you here for the festival?" Her voice was so calm and engaging.

" Uhh... Yeah..." I hesitated in reply. This made her giggle, I couldn't help but loosen up.

" I suppose you have nowhere to stay," She was extremely upfront, she drew her slim, perfectly curved body close to mine (not a position I find myself in usually) and began to pick out the petals that were in my hair.

" That is correct."

" You speak awfully old fashioned Mr...?"

" Syaoran Li," I told her my name. I'll admit it was a little unorthodox, but there was something in her eyes that compelled me to tell the truth and I am positive that it wasn't my own reflection or an eyelash. No it was something else; something I found almost disturbing..

" Well... Mr Li. I, Sakura Kinomoto, on behalf of my family, I ask you to be our guest," Her approach was very...Convenient. Perhaps too convenient, I still can't tell.

I could feel myself flush. She caressed my face with her soft hand with a sentimental touch. I'll admit, I've ever been touched like that before.

" Uhh... Well..."

" That settles it!" She was quite charming at this point and no longer upfront. I know I should be glad she gave me accommodation... At this moment in time though not four days ago but now, half of me is overjoyed and the other half wishes I had never met her.

" I must thank you Miss Kinomoto," I told her. She rose her eyebrow and gave me a skeptical look, the type I only save for special occasions, and asked me,

" Why did you call me 'Miss'?"

" I noticed that your ring finger on your left hand has no rings," I lifted up her hand.

" What made you think that I didn't just take them off?"

" There would be a marking of some sort and I imagine that if your were betrothed to someone that, that very lucky man would want every living male within a 5 mile radius to know that you were already betrothed to him unless..."

" No!" She hit my arm playfully. " Your job must include having an eye for detail."

" Hehe..." I laughed weakly. " You certainly know how to compliment."

" I get enough of them... I pick up a few, once or twice," She began to fix my hair, she obviously had messed it up and was reorganizing each strand as fiddled with my hair between her fingers. " So... What do you do?"

" Huh?"

" You never told me about what you did," She took a step back to admire her effort. She smiled at me and repeated her question. I didn't know what to think about what she had done with my hair. " So... What do you do?"

" I'm a journalist," I told her straight. I thought about feeding her a cover story but I couldn't help it.

" Interesting... Tomoeda could do with some publicity," She took my hand and we began to walk through 'Perfect Town'.

Now, that I think about it, it is a bit ironic. I mean... Tomoeda did get that publicity it needed, but I don't think that was exactly what she meant….

I know that I haven't called 'her' by her name yet...and even though I have known her for a few days I don't want to say her name yet. I can't get close. And saying her name means getting close. She won't be known by anything but Miss Kinomoto. I promised myself.

About 10 minutes later we arrived at her home. It was of American structure with white brick walls and a red slate roof. I have to admit it's a pretty nice house. I know that say those kind of things a lot y'know like 'I have to admit' and 'To tell the truth' but those are things that I have been taught to say - I know its a bad habit but you can't blame me. Write by journalistic rules, live by them.

I met 'her' family. It was inevitable really, seeing as I am going to be a guest in her home. They consist of only her father, Fujitaka and her brother, Touya. She never told me about her mother. I just presumed that she had died. I'm sure of that, almost. Around their house are many pictures of a woman with long hair. She's very pretty. Most of them are of her in different clothing, not many are with her children, so I guess she died when they were young.

She showed my to my room. Most of it was green, my favorite color! Great isn't it. There were green walls, green carpet, green duvet. The only things that weren't green were white. Whether that was a coincidence or not, I don't really know. You never know with her, never.

This family... It seemed too perfect, just like everything in this town. The father, kind and loving, the brother, over protective but the daughter...? She's something else. She's different. They're too perfect for their own good, if you ask me.

Everyone has secrets, including me; some peoples' secrets just get out before others.


	2. It's OK To Let Yourself Be Sad

May the 5th 

By Louann1

Chapter 2: It's OK To Let Yourself Be Sad

" Syaoran! Your hot!"

Those were the first words that I heard when I woke up on my second day at the Kinomoto residence. My sight was blurry but I cold tell that it was Sakura. Her emerald eyes were so bright that I could recognise them in a fog. OK... Maybe a very, VERY thin fog.

" Huh?"

That was my reply. Not the best for someone who is meant to be good with words. Then again, I had just woken up... AND had taken what she said the wrong way.

" Lay down..." Miss Kinomoto gently pushed me back to bed. Her hands were warm and caring. I obeyed her command and lay still underneath my green covers. If Miss Kinomoto had access to my room I guess I have to wear proper pyjamas to bed. That's sort of besides the point.

" Wha-... ahem... What are you doing here?" My voice was croaky and now that I look back at it my question didn't make good sense seeing as it was her house.

" I'm looking after you," Her face changed from the look of worry to happiness in less than a second. This is something that I find amazing. She can seem happy no matter what she's doing because she always has a smile on her face.

" But I'm fine... Blah.. I sound terrible," I protested back. She had already given me accommodation, she didn't need to look after me as well.

" See? You aren't fine..." She caressed my forehead. I could feel myself burning up even more.

" Where are you going?" I asked with some trouble as Miss Kinomoto exited my temporary room.

" I'll be back in a second, try to relax. OK?" She left before I even had the chance to reply.

So I laid there on my borrowed bed quietly. I turned to look at the alarm clock next to me. It was precisely 11.58am. The midday news would be on TV. As I am a journalist I have to keep up to date with the news. Boring I know but it's a living.

I summoned up the strength to get up. I felt a bit woozy but I shook it off. I slipped on some green slippers that were by my door and began to make my way to the living room.

I froze at the bottom of the stairs. I could hear hushed voices. I crept quietly closer and could make out that it was Miss Kinomoto and another. He was male, for sure, but he had a weird Osaka accent. I could faintly make out their conversation.

" How is he?" The Osaka voice spoke

" He's got a fever. He's resting at the moment." I guessed they were talking about me.

" Be careful with him Sakura. You don't know him that well. You can't risk revealing-"

" I know... I know too well..." I was right.

She did have a secret.

" That's good to know."

" It's just hard."

" You managed it before."

" That was different."

" How?"

" He's different. I sense something from him. He's trustworthy."

" He works for the regional press. How is that trustworthy? Remember that time with the local press?" Local press? I would've recognised her name if it was in the local news. I get all local news sent straight to my laptop. I do my best to remember them all but it's hard. It's very time consuming. Besides... I don't work for a regional newspaper! I work global!

" Barely."

" Exactly, because precautions weren't taken and so action had to be. Think how much worse it would be!"

" What?"

" Just expect the unexpected." I'd heard that phrase before... I think it was while I was I was studying martial arts. I needed to train for my mission. The one I turned down... I didn't think that I wanted to be involved if it included violence.

I heard her footsteps advancing and I quickly made my way to the living room and I threw myself onto the sofa, grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. Not exactly confortable.

" Syaoran?" She calls me Syaoran. She asked me if she could. I couldn't exactly say ' No you may not!', could I?

" Yeah?"

" Oh... I thought I told you not to move?" She placed a tray with a meal onto the coffee table effortlessly.

" Sorry. I saw that the news was on," I lied though my teeth. I don't think she believed me though. " I have to catch up."

" Why didn't you tell me?"

" I thought that you were already attending to someone... I didn't want to disturb you," I added the last bit quickly as she immediately tensed up. " You were... Weren't you?"

" No," Miss Kinomoto simply smiled and said." You must be imagining it."

" I guess..." I replied. That was clearly a lie. Who hallucinates when they have a sore throught? Not me.

" ' And lastest news: The deaths of Samantha Kytori and Jasmine Satoshi are being investigated. Both women of the same age were found dead with no trace of evidence leading to the cause of their deaths. We go to the head of Police, Detective Poi who is on the case." The screen changed and an overweight man, who had clearly been pigging out on some doughnuts before going on air, and thinning hair appeared on screen.

" ' Well... These strange women had strange deaths. We are doing the best we can to make sure that something this strange doesn't happen again. We recommend that no young woman go out unaccompanied to prevent something strange. This is all very strange-' "

The TV turned off.

Miss Kinomoto held the remote in her quivering hands.

Honestly, there was a look ofextreme shock on her face. Her eyes were wide and she stood in a state of gasping but she made no sound.

" Miss Kinomoto?" I stood up and placed my hands on her shoulders. I didn't know what else to do.

" Uhh... Drink this. It's milk and honey. My mother used to give it to me when I got sick." She was immediately back to her cheerful mood again. That was the first time she spoke of her mother, I was correct, she didn't have a mother since she spoke of her in the past tense. Don't you just love the way I pick up on these things?

" Did you know them?"

" Who?"

" Those girls that got killed," I'll admit this wasn't the best approach since I didn't get anything from it.

" No... Not at all..." She didn't look into my eyes. She hadn't done that before when she spoke to me.

" If anything is troubling you, you can tell me... If you want..." I had to say something conforting.The poor girllooked terrified.

" Thank you..." A smile flickered but gave into a look of contempt and melancholy.

She took the tray and went back to the kitchen.

I ate the meal, I don't particularly remember what it was, my mind was somewhere else.I followed it with the warm milk and honey. It felt soothing and soon I began to feel much better. I returned the plate, mug and cutlery to the kitchen.

" Did you like it?" Her happiness looked painful.

" A lot. Thank you."

She went back to her cooking but I still stood close to her.

" It's OK y'know," I blurted out. I don't know what I was doing speaking my mind. I had started so I might has well've finished.

" Hoe?" She said her tradmark phrase. I'm impressed that she can express so much with just a one syllable word.

" To say what you want... It's OK... To let yourself be sad..." I read that in a manga once. I knew it would come in handy some day. And YES! I do read manga! I'm proud to say I do! That's a little off the topic.

She looked at me like I was the one that had cause those women to die. Her eyes softened and she began to cry. She grabbed me tightly which took me by surprise. I wrapped my arms around her. It hurt to see her soo sad. She'd been holding in feelings for too long. Normally I hated people who complained all the time... But, she seemed to be an exception.I tried not to get lulled into the moment... But it was hard not to. Then again... One hug doesn't mean that I'm getting soft does it? Whatever happens I can't get close.

That was the promise I made and the promise I intend to keep.

-x-

I've finally updated one of my fics! I even updated before doing my homework! I slaved over this! Please review! I worked really hard.

Thank you


	3. Sharing is Caring

May the 5th 

By Louann1

Chapter 3: Sharing is Caring

By the third day at the Kinomoto household I had been getting quite fond of Miss Kinomoto and her family... Even though her brother was very intimidating. I'd also gotten over my cold.

Since the second I woke up that morning I could tell that that day was going to be very different, and it wasn't just because I had beat my cold. Anyway, I was right, naturally, but I sorta wish that I were wrong.

Back in China, I sorta had a friend; she had the power of telepathy, y'know seeing the future. Actually... I had many friends. Now that I think about it, there wasn't a single normal person. We all had powers... I guess it was some kind of magic school. We learn all the things we were meant to as well as how to control our powers. But... She couldn't... It was too much for her. And so... She died... We weren't that close... She just gave me a few hints now and then about what my future would be. I wish I'd listened to her now.

That day would hold the first time other people's lives would depend on me, just like she said.

At precisely midday, Miss Kinomoto left the household in order to purchase the necessary goods for the week. She asked me to go with her but I declined, I simply said that I wanted to work on my report. She insisted that I used the home computer but I said that I had already started on my report on my laptop.

Which is half true.

I had started my report but I also wanted to find out more about the deaths of those women. I knew that she knew something. I guess she wasn't ready to share them with me. Then again we only knew each other for two days. If I used her computer she could see on the 'history' what I had checked out and believe me, what I found out was too coincidental.

I looked at the already written news reports and I was shocked to see that there was hardly any information that was trustworthy. It's true what they say y'know 'Don't believe everything you read' especially if it's on the Internet.

I found out that Miss Samantha Kytori and Miss Jasmine Satoshi were mentioned quite a lot... Not their name exactly but their description. It was in the same text on many different sites, all were copies just different layout and font.

Destiny is already written.

That's what it said. Every single one. There was much more as well but that was the thing that stood out. I hadn't figured it out yet but I'm positive that Sakura knew more than she was letting on. How do I know? Because well... She was sorta in it as well. The cherry blossom tree, remember?

The script didn't make much sense but at least I had something solid. Well it was jelly-like. And it wasn't really a script... It was more like a prophecy. I was taught about them, they always contained metaphors and riddles. Mostly anyway.

I began to write my report. It was frustrating, I'll admit. For practically the first time in my life, I was struggling. Not in just my work, but in my life. Even though I had a roof over my head, it wasn't permanent and I was losing interest in my work but what else could I do? I'd given up enough just to get the job but... Maybe I wasn't meant to write. Just as I had begun I stopped and deleted all my work except from this case. I didn't feel that I was getting anywhere. I could always go back home, although spending that much time with my mother and four sisters isn't that wise. I don't know for sure but I felt compelled to continue this trail. I'm one of those people who like to continue something once I've started. I also like round numbers!

I also called my mother. She seems to know about a lot of mysterious things like this. I've called her before when my work seemed incomprehensible. Usually she would be very good at giving me advice and telling me her thoughts. This time though she didn't help me much. I'll rephrase that: She didn't help at all. She seemed secretive, more than usual at least. She simply said:

" Expect the unexpected..." It was that dreaded phrase again. Now after hearing that, I certainly knew that it wasn't just coincidence.

Sakura came home just as I had finished gathering some information. I tried to follow the five w's, you know; who, what, when, where and why. You can also add 'how' into that but you didn't really need to know that. As she entered the house I could sense something. It's difficult to explain, it's a bit like when you answer the phone and you know exactly who it is or you know that someone is standing right behind you. Mix that with the fear you get when you wait for an injection and you get what I felt. But it was stronger than that, like it wasn't coincidence. As she entered I sensed that a thread had been broken. I didn't see thread, I just heard the sound that it made, then again I'm not sure if it made any sound at all. I went downstairs to see her. She was very different.

There was no longer the sparkle in her eye. She wasn't quite herself... She was smiling none the less. You know in films how they change from a black and white scene into a colored one, well, that's what she was like. It was if something had washed away her happiness. She seemed to be a bit... Rushy, like there was someplace she needed to get to. Whatever it was, I could tell it was important as her face scrunched up when she put the milk in a cupboard and took it out again. I had to be there.

She'd denied knowing those women, but I know that's a lie. I knew that then and I know that now. She hadn't been totally honest with me and neither had I with her.

" Where you going?" I asked her as she finished packing and looked for her keys.

" Nowhere," She replied harshly. Now I knew that it was important. She had never spoken to me in such a way as that. Not once.

" I'm coming with you," I stated firmly as I grabbed my jacket from the coat stand.

She spun around to face me with eyes filled with mixed emotion.

" It doesn't concern you..."

" It's the Prophecy, isn't it?"

" ..." She looked at me with her eyes wide open, just as she had done the day before. Her pale, pink lips began to tremble as she tried to speak to me. " H-How do you know?"

" It doesn't matter..."

" Tell me! How do you know? No one's meant to know. No one!" There was a quiver in her voice but it sounded confident none the less.

" I did some research…"

" Research! This isn't something you can research!" She was hysterical, much more than before.

" Well, you haven't searched for it well enough have you?" I snapped back. " Just tell me what going on, maybe I can help?"

" You can't help... No one can..." Her eyes had lost their sparkle. She looked so glum, I didn't ever think that it was possible for her to put that expression on.

" Try me..."

She explained everything to me. At least, I thought it was everything at the time.

They say that curiosity killed the cat but I bet you didn't know that it can kill little wolves as well. The next half hour went by in a flash. So much happened that I have to replay each minute in my head just to make sure that I wouldn't forget anything. I would tell you the whole thing but then I wouldn't stop talking for hours and so I will give you a cliff notes version. I like cliff notes. Back in magic school we had to take good notes when it came to summoning spells and the such. I would say I was a pretty good student. I wasn't the best but I was pretty good. Since each of us there had our own specific powers it was only natural that there would be those much stronger than others... But I learnt that it wasn't just your powers that made you strong. It was also your weaknesses.

We studied many different creatures, from those which existed to those which didn't. From all of them there was only one particular one that I was afraid of. I can't remember the name of it but I know its powers well. It can sense the deepest fears of a particular person and use it against them, whether it be something physical or emotional. No matter how many times I was told that it didn't exist I still had the same fear. And then one day I was asked why I was so afraid of it, and then I realised that I was scared of it. Nothing more than just its existence. Just it being there in my head was giving me the chills and I thought that I was being a total idiot. You know that saying, there's nothing to fear but fear itself, well it was exactly like that. I hadn't seen the creature before but I manged it pretty well when it came to hurt Sakura.

I'm not that sure where we went and I suppose it doesn't really matter. All that really matters is that I witnessed another die and it was all due to that creature. I couldn't expect what came next and I'm not too sure I understand it all that well but still, there was something to be done and Miss Kinomoto felt that she had to do it on her own... Except she didn't.

She told me specifically to stay where I was but I couldn't just watch her. I can't really describe it but it was like I was listening to one of those backing tracks in the movies, it was like one of those when they're all working together or they're running or something like that, I can't really describe it better but I guess it was spine tingling.

I didn't really expect to see the creature of my fears there, but there it was, a black shadowy figure with no definite outline. Miss Kinomoto ran towards it and I could only watch as she cast something I can only describe as a spell. It was truly breath taking. A huge beam of light came from her hands as she chanted a spell beneath her breath. She had obviously done something like it before. I think it was a paralysis spell as the demon froze. It was only enough to buy her the time to support a young female away from the creature. They walked as fast as they could but I could see from the other that she was in excruciating pain. I took her from Miss Kinomoto and laid her gentle on the grass beneath us. She looked just as Samantha Kytori did when I found her in the airport. It was only when the grip on my hand loosened did I realize that they were bound to the same fate.

I looked back at Miss Kinomoto and was shocked to find that she had gone back to fight the beast. I clenched my fist in frustration. Why did she have to do the stupidest things! Then I realised that they weren't stupid things... They were the right things. If you played an instrument and haven't played it in a long time you loose most of the skill that you had. I suppose it's like that with magic. At least it was for me. I don't like using my powers because it reminds me of a person I'd much rather forget, but when the image of Sakura falling from the sky that made me use my powers. Before I could stop myself I was summoning the wind. It slowed her down as she fell but like I said, skills get rusty over time. The creature wasn't anywhere to be seen yet all I could think about as I ran to her was a crazy hope that she would be okay.

It's good to hope.

x-

Hi again! It's been ages since I updated anything and since May the 5th is coming up soon I thought that this is a main priority. I really want to finish this before May 5th, but since I'm so lazy I seriously doubt it. Chapter 4 for Oh My Goddess should be up soon too. Anyway, please review!

Thank you for reading.


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